Cavanaugh Park
by Hotshot
Summary: Welcome to the unexplainable world. Two beings, attached, but whom should never meet. The feeling shared among them and realized by few others. They're angry, scared, or just don't care, but then what would you expect of teenagers? AUish
1. Prologue

Cavanaugh Park

Prologue

By Hotshot

_At Cavanaugh Park   
Where I used to sit   
All alone in the dark   
And dream about things   
That I cannot say   
'Cause Grandma said destiny  
Would blow me away   
And nothing's gonna blow me away_

_~ "Cavanaugh Park" by Something Corporate_

            "Years ago all of you would have been thought of as crazy.  That was of course before all of the scientific research determined this to be the genetic… I'd say defect but it is really more of an advantage depending on how you look at it.  All of the medical research has actually determined it to be an extra lobe of usage in the back of the brain.  You each actually do have contact with another person _somewhere_ on this planet.

            "It is a unique mutation within each of you.   Some of you may only reach the stage in which you can contact them, which I know each of you can.  Some go farther and receive and actual mental image, or farther and can contact them at will, and can bring up memories.  Some can feel the other's actions or emotions.  The most advanced case I have ever been informed of was one in which one half of a pair was stabbed and the other actually bled.  Now, that is an extreme case and I highly doubt that any of you will be so blessed as to get that far.

            "The lower stages come on more easily and relatively quickly.  The final stage is a one in a trillion chance.  I have heard of literally one case; that is all.  For most of you it will not surpass speaking to them or seeing them in your minds eye.  I know this often happens in times of severe emotion, which may perhaps be part of the reason you feel so drawn in and close to them.  You get to see them at their weakest and strongest points.  

            "It also happens at normal times on occasion.  In class for one; I know many of you may have drifted off in class.  Not always in your state, but rather daydreaming, and used it as an excuse to cover it up.  I can't say that I blame you.  If I had been blessed with this gift I would have done the same in school, no questions asked.  

            "Beyond that though, this class is designed to help all of you learn to control this ability so that you will be able to function in any higher education or society you pursue once your time here is done.

            "You will be visiting classes of younger children to explain and introduce the condition to them.  For some of these children it may be the first time they hear about it.  This will eventually help to stop the harsh and unfair feelings that I'm sure you know are felt toward some with this mutation.  Hell, for all we know people who are still wary of it may be telling their children you are all killer robots with microchips inserted into your brains.  Seriously there is no way of knowing what parents are telling their kids these days.  I mean, what were all of you told?

            "Now I know many of you are wondering that if the parents hate you so much why are they letting you visit their kids at school.  The answer is that technically they don't know that it's you.  We do sort of lie and tell parents you are all part of a student-teacher group, but that is also partly true.  You are giving and teaching these kids things that they wouldn't be able to learn without you.  You could be the only hope for these kids having a fair, truly informed and unbiased point of view.  You could even help some of them realize that they are like you.

            "It's most commonly known as gemelos del alma, which if any of you ever paid attention in Spanish class you'd be aware means twins of the soul.  There's some long, and much more complicated name for it in Latin, the medical term, but I in no way think it would be worth learning to pronounce that word.  You all know it and honestly I don't care.  You call them soul twins or soul mates.  Personally, I've heard plenty of slang terms, good and bad.  

            "We're going to start with the basics, you know, the things I know you guys have gone over every year in these classes.  We're going to get into some harder stuff later that actually requires work and effort, and serious concentration.  _I know that may be a serious stretch for some of you_; you know I'm kidding.  But then again, how many of you haven't drifted off in the time that I've been talking?  How many of you would blame it on them if this was say, math, and I called on you for an answer?  Really now, don't kid yourselves.

            "We're through for today.  I'll hand out your books tomorrow because there is really no point.  We're not going to use them as much as you have in the past because they're mostly just scientific explanations, which you should all know backwards and forwards by now.  Truthfully guys, I do not have this gift.  My younger brother had it, and I have had several friends who had it too, and I've been teaching it for almost five years.  I'd like to think I'll be able to tell when you're lying about drifting off but the truth is I won't, so be honest.  We're done, pack up you things.  I'll see you tomorrow.  But don't leave before the bell-"

B B B B R R R R R R R R R R R R R R I I I I I I N N N N N G G G G G G! ! ! ! ! ! ! !   

A/N:

Yes, I know this chapter was extremely short, but that is how almost all of my stories start.  At this time I am not sending out a casting call as I have another source to find characters.  If I don't get enough I will ask you, the reviewers, for help.  The chapters will get longer, I promise, because I despise writing short chapters.  This story is going to be a bit off, in the sense of being odd.  I hope you all will like it.  Hopefully you'll go visit that little purple button at the bottom of this page now.

~Hotshot~~~  


	2. First Day of School is Hell

Disclaimer: Basically, in this chapter I own Ceja Pierce and Corey Feldman, and Samuel Warren when and where they appear.  Disney owns the newsies.  The other characters are owned by their respective owners so don't steal them.  Oh yes, and teachers are either my creations or based off my teachers so leave them alone. 

Cavanaugh Park

Chapter 1

Hotshot

I woke up in New York City   
From my sleep behind the wheel   
Caught a train to Poughkeepsie  
And time stood still   
  
She wrote me a letter from San Diego   
To qualify her luck   
These flights connect through Arizona   
But I think I'll stay stuck

_"I Woke Up in a Car" by Something Corporate_

Chairs scraped the linoleum floor and the door slammed open as the dozen or so high school juniors dashed from the dark classroom.  Students poured from other doorways and the wing quickly crowded with people.  Many stopped at their lockers to drop off books or find a pen, but most just wandered in the general direction of their next class.  It was after all the first day of school; how much work could they get?

Ceja Pierce opened her locker to get her melting iced coffee, as they weren't allowed in the science lab.  She threw in her already beaten notebook and grinned as it made a satisfying clank against the bottom of the metal locker.  She shoved her schedule in her pocket and closed the locker.  

"CJ," a yell echoed from the next wing as she passed and a bright colored ball of clothing topped by brown hair skidded by here and into a nearby locker.

"You're an idiot; do you know that."  She pulled him up by the hood of his sweatshirt and reached into his pocked to pull out his schedule.  "But you have gym with me so maybe I can keep you from breaking something this year."

The boy, obviously Italian by his skin tone and hair, snatched the creased paper back from her and shoved it in his pocket.  "Long period Gym."

"It's not that big a deal, Race," Ceja shrugged, "We're paired with a freshman class; it's not like we're gonna do anything today."  She pushed open the field house doors and began walking toward the bleachers.

"So your gifted class was?" He asked.

"First day stuff.  New teacher; prepared speech."

"I should seriously transfer into that class.  At least I'd understand better what the lot of you were talking about all the time.  And if it's as easy to pass as you all say it is I just need someone to cover me in notes and I can nap."

"As long as I've got you to cover me as far as tutoring goes in that bullshit math class feel free to try."  She grinned, "Though I doubt the principal would be very happy to hear of you request."

"Hey, I'm smart."

"And you're also a troublemaker.  That is why you couldn't take that class if you wanted to.  Trust me class would be very entertaining if you were there."

As Racetrack turned to make a comeback and defend himself a group of rather small freshmen ran directly in front of him and he nearly tripped over one of them.  "Learn to walk!" He yelled, "Fucking geniuses, the lot of them."

As they reached the bleachers set up along the basketball court several of the guys in one of the corners called out to Race.  Not being a 'gifted' student had an advantage.  He did have more friends, and was popular even with the jocks.

"I'll hook up with you again as soon as class starts, Cej," he said before grabbing her coffee and all but sprinting up the bleachers.  He gave her a quick glance as he reached his friends and she rolled her eyes.

Ceja collapsed onto a seat in the front bench and looked over the approaching students.  Two junior classes and a freshman class made up the large gym class.  She mumbled greetings to those who passed her and tried to keep from falling asleep.  

The teachers came into the room several minutes after the bell rang and set up chairs in front of the bleachers.  One by one each rambled off their attendance list.  Ceja and Race, as well as several of their friends were lucky to find themselves in the class of the last teacher, Mr. Cotter.  He was retiring and it was an easy class.

He rambled off his list barely looking up, and used mostly nicknames the students had developed over the years.  He ignored the obscenities thrown back by a few of them.  

"Ok," he yelled once attendance was done, "Freshmen report to your teacher for locker assignments.  Juniors I want to see you running the track.  Come on people, we love to run…" 

The three classes collectively climbed off the bleachers and after being assigned lockers the freshmen began to run around the track.  The upperclassmen laughed and picked their own leisurely strolls.  

Ceja easily picked out Race walking next to another boy, one who easily dwarfed him.  She jogged to catch up with them.  The boy with Race was everything the short Italian was not.  He was extremely tall, extremely thin, and extremely pale.  Shocking blond hair fell just past his ears.  A concert T-shirt, dark, torn jeans and a worn baseball cap were his chosen attire.  Wire-rimmed glasses, rested on the end of his nose.  She jumped on his back as they caught up.

Race rolled his eyes.

"So, you like class this morning, Alec?" she asked.

"I didn't fall asleep."

As the three of them passed behind the bleachers Race checked for teachers and took a flying leap onto one of the gymnastics mats.  The other two just climbed on.  A few freshmen passing by yelled out but Race told them off with a usual catch phrase.  

It was sort of funny.  These freshmen, many which were taller than Race, were scared of him.  Just as funny was Racetrack himself.  He was a shoe-in for the class valedictorian, yet he was the class clown and constantly napping in detention.  He was so popular and still hung out with the outcasted gifted more than the jocks.

A figure that could be described as nothing more than thin, long, and lanky flew by them less than a minute later.  He cleared the mat and bounced back on a moment later.  

"Morning," he muttered.

"Hi Blake," Dutchy said.

The others mumbled greeting, or rather grunts, as it was still early, as two more girls joined them.  The two were complete opposites.  The first was about as Goth and punk as one could get without breaking the school's dress code.  Her clothes were covered in tears and safety pinned back together, and her boots made her at least three inches taller than she actually was.  Her counterpart, though shorter, was a prep.  Pac Sun t-shirt, and Weathervane jeans.  The only thing remotely out of place about her was the black fedora that covered her bobbed hair.  

"Dude, that class was boring," The prep, Lute said.  She turned her attention To Race, "Morning fucker, it's been a while."

"Fuck you bitch." Race shot back.  It was their code.  The two had lived next door to each other their entire lives and insisted they had to pick on one another.  

But then Lute did have a tendency to pick on people she loved and Race told everyone to fuck off.  Most just figured it was their way of saying 'how are you' because it was actually rather painful if you contemplated it too long.

"You wish." Lute grinned.

"I hate school," Calica, the punk, groaned.  She announced the same thing every morning. "Hell with fluorescent lighting, that's all it is.  Our principal is the devil and we're stuck here for the next nine and a half months."  She groaned, "They should call it prison."

"And to think you haven't been to a difficult class yet today?" Blake agreed.

"You're not exactly helping my cause here, pretty boy," she muttered.

"Well, it's true," Race pointed out, "I mean your gifted class isn't exactly rocket science, and you and Lute walked, what, two laps."

"Two laps in these," she held up one three-inch heel.

"You wore heels to gym, why?"

"I didn't know we had Gym today, fucker." She complained.  

"Hey, it's my job to call him that," Lute snapped.

Another girl dropped onto the edge of the mat.  

"Morning Aria," Dutchy greeted.

She ignored him, instead choosing to stare at the ceiling, either waiting for it to fall on her, or for it to give her the answers to life.  Finally she broke the silence.

"So we have the Pope, huh?  Should be an entertaining class."

"The Pope, really, what class?" Race asked.

Without hesitation Lute hit him upside the head.

"Mr. O'Connor.  Also known as Pope OC.  It's a long story from freshman history.  Trust me; let's not go into it.  He's the gifted teacher for the junior and senior classes." Ceja mumbled.

"Much better than Mr. Die-sinners-die, though." Dutchy pointed out.

"Heard they fired him," Race said.

"You really should take that class," Dutchy agreed, "You know as much about it as we do."

"At least I'd be able to understand what the hell the lot of you were talking about all the time." Race huffed.

*       *       *       

Eric Mordall split from his friends Angelo and Skittery shortly after second period let out.  The two of them were both heading to the next wing of the school for history or math, or some moronic classes.  Eric, on the other hand, had to go to his locker and then go to the other end of the school for his Spanish class. 

Lovely.

He grinned as he reached the lockers.  A few of his friends were in the row along with him.  There was Mandy, who he had first period with, along with Mandy's brother, David, and girlfriend, Heels.  Mandy and Heels were busy doing what, well basically what Heels and Mandy did. In doing so they were effectively blocking De, as they affectionately called David, from getting into his locker.

"Might I remind you that it's the first day of school, or would you like me to tip you off that Lucas (big bad principal) is coming down the hall?"

Both girls immediately separated and worked on trying to get Mandy's locker open.  De opened his locker and mouthed a 'thank you'.

"Damn, Eric, don't you look cute today?" Mandy said looking at him, "I like the highlights."

"I've had them for the past month."

"Oh," she shrugged.

"Where are you guys off to?"

"French."

"I hate languages.  I've barely mastered English and my parents want good grades in something completely different.  It makes no sense."

"Welcome to life, kid." Heels greeted him.

After the period of wonderful, or not, world languages the four of them met up again and began on their way to the cafeteria for lunch.  Hoping that at least the food would improve, since most of the teachers hadn't.  

"You've got to be kidding me," De muttered as they turned onto one of the back halls toward the cafeteria.  Pete Hargis, and Jack Kelly, two of the most well known jocks at their school were leaning against a set of lockers looking bored. 

Hargis, better known as Haggle grinned and hit Jack's arm to get his attention, "Look what we got here."

"The little gifted shits." Jack agreed.

"Hey, I ain't gifted," Heels argued.

"But you're not about to walk on out of here if we give you the chance are you?" Jack asked.  He shook his head when she didn't respond, "I thought not."

"So what do you think we should start of with this year, Kelly?" Haggle asked, cracking his knuckles.  It wouldn't have been intimidating in the least if Haggle weren't so, well, large.  Damn football players.

"Well, I think you should start by picking on someone with an IQ as low as yours.  Which leaves, well it basically just leaves Jack."

Haggle and Jack both turned to find the source of the insult.  Leaning against one of the lockers behind them was a tall, rust-haired boy.  He grinned widely at them, not the least bit intimidated.  He looked so calm that if you didn't know him you'd swear that Chris Feldman had a death wish.

"You sure it's smart to be making comments like that when there's one of you and two of us?" Jack asked.

"Hey, I always bring reinforcements."  He motioned for them to look behind them.  Swifty Li, and Rich Jones had joined Heels, De, Mandy, and Eric.

Now, though the jocks weren't exactly smart they knew when they couldn't handle something.  The two shrugged it off as if they hadn't been interested in the first place, and left.

"Well, it should be an interesting year." Swifty noted.

The group, now considerably larger walked down the hall and into the cafe. They split to get lunch from various lines and met up with the other students at a large table by the windows.

*       *       *

Two square tables were pushed together next to one of the windows and chairs were crowded around it, probably many more than allowed, but it wasn't as if anyone cared.  An assortment of plastic trays, paper bags, drinks, and snacks from the stand were dropped onto the tabletop.  It was quite odd to see so many gifted students together outside of class.  Don't get it wrong, they were all friends, but most of them did different things and hung out with different people.  But there it was, twelve of them at one table, plus four non-gifted students.  

It was really quite funny; Race, Skittery, Heels, and Swifty weren't gifted but had somehow integrated themselves with this group over the years.  They'd gotten nicknames out of it too.  The gifted kids, or those who spoke about their soul twins using a permanent nickname, so of course these kids wanted nicknames too.  And oh, the stories behind some of them…  But that's not the issue at hand.

They crowded around the table and dropped their various foodstuffs onto the top.  All either started eating or talking to someone else.  Well, except Race who started stealing food off people's, and by people's I mean Hawk's, plates.  That, however, was typical.  Race saved whatever money he had for lunch for whatever else he needed.

"Nympho!" Lute shouted across the cafeteria at another of her normal friends.  "Can you give me a ride to work this afternoon!?"  Of course, she was completely oblivious to the looks of horror thrown her way by faculty members and freshmen.  There was a reason for Nympho, or Zach's, nickname.

The gangly boy strolled over with a wide grin on his face.  He looked happy until he noticed whom Lute was sitting with.  Suddenly his face took on a mask of nervousness.  "What was that?" He asked, leaning on the back of Lute's chair.

"Ride to work after school?"

"You gonna give me gas money this year?"

"Don't answer a question with a question."

"Answer."

"No."

He shrugged, "Be at my car after school."  With that he was gone again, walking as fast as possible away from the table.

"What's with him?" Aria asked as she took her seat.  "Seriously, Lute, what does he have against us?"

Lute shoveled a forkful of whatever food was on her tray before answering, "He doesn't like the gifted."   

"And he's friends with you?" Race asked, "I thought you were a stage four."

"I am, but he knew me before he knew I was gifted for a long time.  It's a complicated situation; just don't hate him for it.  He's confused."

The other conversations at the table went back to normal and Nympho was forgotten.  Lute, however, kept looking over her shoulder at Nympho.  It pissed her off that his parents were so prejudice and that they'd passed it on to him.  Just, God!  Someone should pay for all the hell it caused!

*        *       *

 '_Snitch_' she called into her mind that night as she lay in bed.

_'Dude, it's late,'_ a voice echoed through her mind, '_What's up Swinger?'_

_'Do you have any good friends who aren't gifted?'_

_'Tons.'_

_'What would you do if they didn't like you gifted friends because they were gifted?'_

_'Does he know you're gifted?'_

_'Yeah, but he knew me a long time before he found out.  It's just…' _she groaned both inwardly and outwardly, _'It's just his parents are so goddamn frustrating.  They act like I'm some kind of plague.'_

_'So it's their problem.'_

_'Yeah, but he's all nervous and _stuff_ around my friends and it sucks.'_

_'Some people are like that, dude, if I were you I just wouldn't force it on him.  Maybe he'll get it sometime.'_

She shrugged, _'Maybe.  So how was school for you today?'_

_'Hell, but then what else is new?'_

_'Good point…'_

A/N: Ha, another chapter done!  There I introduced most of the main characters, at least the ones at the main school.  Their soul twins will be introduced over the next few chapters I guess.  And Shade, the teacher is Mr. O'Connor, who kicks ass in real life, and is completely the reason I'm taking Economics AP next year.  Kez, I'm working on Last Chance I swear, and thank you ::names self queen of first chapter hooks::.  SaL, you said I could use it.  

So yes, again, chapter one is done.  I wish it were longer and it seems a bit off to me but whatever.  Those of you that have questions please ask, and if anyone can think of something for me to call them other than gifted I'd owe you a million because it just sounds bad.  Sorry for the no warning on slash, but it's really just because the characters were submitted to the cc that way.  I won't put up a warning until/unless it becomes a major part of the story.

It'll be easier to understand once we start using all nicknames and you know who everyone is.  So leave me a review::sends subliminal messages for you to click the little purple button:: and I'll see you next time.

~Next Time~

Another class with the gifted kids, long period too boot, and you find out their nicknames.  A bit more is explained.  A mass chemistry class (a class I love at the moment)  and they go to the park.

~Hotshot~~~


	3. Adventures in Chem Class

Cavanaugh Park

Chapter 2

Hotshot

_I met you last month at a party  
You brought me up, you brought me down  
You came to me last night as an apparition  
Now you came around  
  
What's with you and all your talk of independence?  
What's with me and my lack of innocence?_

_Inside the Pocket, Something Corporate_

"Good morning ladies and gentlemen," He said coming into the room, "It's second period so I'm hoping you're all a bit more awake now than you were yesterday. Today we're going to start getting into what we're doing this year. First I want to hand out books and then I'll take attendance. Now, I want the first row over here to get books."

Insert class groaning.

"Don't worry, these books are to go home with you and stay there for whatever homework I give you over the year. My senior class has opted, or ordered to leave them here so you can use their books for any class work. Now, row one."

After everyone had their books and were back in their seats he began down the list either mentally checking off names as he called them out or looking around for their raised hands.

"Let's see. Angelo Assaro.

"Alec Durecht.

"Chris Feldmen.

"Rich Jones.

"Aria LaRose.

"Lute McDounaghey.

"Eric Mordall.

"Amanda Pelligrino.

"De Pelligrino.

"Ceja Pierce.

"Calica Willson.

"And Blake Winters. Alright, good, everyone's here."

The chairs were, at his direction, pulled into a circle in the center of the room and the desks pushed away toward the walls.

"Mr. O'Connor, what're we doin?" Alec asked.

"We," he said pulling his rolling desk chair into the circle, "are going to have a discussion. Now, by a show of hands, how many of you are to at least stage three."

Every hand in the circle went up.

He counted off stage four and five and hands continued to drop. There were only three or four people with their hands left up at stage five.

"Do any of you have scars from them?" Mr. O'Connor asked.

Calica slowly lifted her shirt to show a small scar across one side of her stomach, "This is from him."

"Appendix removed?"

She shook her head, "Stabbed."

He nodded as though he wasn't that surprised. "What about you Eric, Alec?

"Gotten a few bruises," Eric said, "she plays lacrosse so…"

"Alec…"

He shrugged, "Can't complain."

Alec was avoiding the question and it was more than painfully obvious. The people that knew him well knew why. He didn't have any scars if that was what O'Connor meant. But then again, not all scars were external.

O'Connor let it go.

Blake Winter's spoke up. "Why the hell are we wasting our time with this?"

"Well, what did you do with your old teacher?"

"We read and answered questions while listening to him lecture on about how we'd burn in hell for being spawns of the devil," Lute smirked, trying to balance her chair. "I have to admit that it's much better now."

"Trust me, that's a large part of the reason Mr. Jacobs was fired." He pulled a clipboard into his lap.

"Now, my brother used to always refer to his soul twin by a nickname of sorts. Does that still happen today with all of you?"

"Yeah," Angelo nodded, "I've never called mine by anything other than his nickname. It just doesn't seem right."

"Good, then I want to go around and hear the name of everyone's soul twin and why they call him or her that. Ceja?"

"Specs," she muttered, "He's had these round glasses ever since I can remember."

"Ego," a small grin came over Alec's face, "He's got a bit of a big head."

Chris seemed not aware that it was his turn and looked around for a moment, "Blue, lives near the ocean."

Aria shook her head at Chris. "Mine's sort of really smart and really loud so I call him Mouth."

"Mine's got glasses too," Eric said, "But I call her Rims."

"Trick, and it's obvious," De mumbled.

"Babyface," Mandy said shrugging.

"Snoddy, and I don't remember," Blake said.

Rich shrugged, "Bumlets."

Angelo muttered, "A."

"Snitch," Lute said, "He stole something when he was little, from one of his siblings, and well, he got away with it for a while."

"Spot," Calica smirked and shook her head. "He's really a tough guy, but he's also sort of scrawny and short."

"That's good," Mr. O'Connor nodded as he wrote down 'Spot' next to Calica's name on a sheet of papers. "Now I want what they call you. I don't care about explanations."

"Mouse." Calica said begrudgingly.

"Swinger," Lute said.

"Itey," came from Angelo.

Rich glanced around, "Pie Eater."

"Cold," Blake was barely paying attention when they got to him.

"Candy," Mandy muttered.

"He calls me De too," De said, "I used to always talk to him during the day. It's sort of weird."

"Keys," Eric said.

"Sunny," Aria replied.

"Blue calls me Hawk," Chris smiled, "Probably 'cause I gave him a nice scar."

Alec seemed out of it, "Dutchy, he calls me Dutchy, sometimes Imagine, y'know, short for Imaginary Friend." As he spoke he fiddled idly with the pen in his hands, roughly sketching a face on the cover of his notebook.

"And you, Ceja."

Dutchy laughed and she nudged him before speaking. "Hotshot… no idea where it came from, but it was a long time ago…"

"Good," Mr. O'Connor mumbled to himself finishing off his notes. "Very good. Now I suppose the lot of you know everyone else's nicknames be heart already, since you've all been in this class together for at least a few years."

The general consensus was a nod from everyone.

Mr. O'Connor grinned and a few groaned at the sign. "Good, because that is what I want you to refer to each other as this year. At least in this class if not in the halls. Any of your other friends who have those obscure nicknames can get in on it too. Speaking of which, I'm guessing a lot o you call your normal friends by these nicknames. Tony Higgins refuses to be called anything except Racetrack, then I have Swifty, and Heels, and Nympho."

A lot of the class laughed at the mention of their friends, a few of who were just moronic about it.

"But now, apart from all this soul twin stuff we need to come up with a community service project for your class to complete for this year. I know it's only the second day of school but we need to get rolling as soon as possible to actually carry it out. Do you have any ideas?"

"I thought we were going to classes in the elementary schools?" Pie Eater questioned.

"Everyone does that Pie," Mouse commented leaning as far back in her chair as she could without falling over. "Don't you remember, they came like every year when we were there?"

"No…"

"Dude, you were definitely there," Hawk corrected him. "You were in my class every year and I remember you being there."

Pie shrugged.

"So that doesn't count as community service?"

"For your health class but not for here. Sorry."

"What else can we do?" Itey asked. It was true; there probably weren't many options.

"We could go up to the labs that they have for soul twin research in Boston," Swinger suggested, "Maybe we could volunteer for one of their tests or experiment things."

"Don't you usually have to be eighteen to do that?" Hotshot interjected.

Swinger shrugged, "Not always."

"It's a possibility," Mr. O'Connor agreed, starting a list on the board.

"We could do some kind of assembly thing for all the gifted students at the school toward the end of the year," De suggested. It wasn't the best of ideas, but it would quickly take up all their service hours.

"Or maybe we could just do nothing like we've done for the past two years," Hawk suggested trying to shove Mouse off of her chair. "I mean it's not really fair that we have to spend all this extra time doing community service."

"Ignore him," Mandy instructed the teacher. "He's testy until lunch period."

Mr. O'Connor just nodded and added a few of the shouted suggestions to the board. "What about the rest of you, Keys, Sunny, Cold."

Blake had been busily doodling in the first page of his notebook and looked up. "We could always invite the gifted kids from all over the state to some big convention or meeting or something. I heard about some school doing that last year."

Mr. O'Connor agreed, but motioned for the artist to put his notebook away. Blake did so but quickly pulled out a pen and began etching a design around his wrist. Luckily, the teacher knew to just give up there.

No concrete ideas were presented during the last few minutes of class and the group began to idly chat. The bell ringing was almost an instant relief.

1

That afternoon started with Chemistry for most of them. As Ms. Cook was known for giving a heavy workload they were already in the lab demonstrating their knowledge of lab safety and how to light the gas burners.

"Pair up," she told them.

Over half of their gifted class shared the same Chemistry class as well. Dutchy paired up with Hotshot, Cold with Swinger, Race with Nympho, Heels with De, Keys with Hawk and leaving Mouse to pair up with Pete Hargis.

"Ok students, on partner get two aprons, and the other two pairs of go- Mr. Higgins if I see you spray that water again I will give you detention! As I was saying, the other get two pairs of goggles."

The students scattered and returned to their rows with required materials. Several of them began attaching hoses to gas burners and Ms. Cook began to move around the room handing out matches.

"I'm surprised they trust us not to burn the school down," Race commented picking up the matches.

It seemed that Ms. Cook heard him. She grabbed the matchbook from his hand and replaced it with a metal tool used to produce sparks.

"Ok class, in your groups have one person turn on the gas while the other lights a match and holds it over the burner. Leave it on until I ok it and then you may shut it off, clean up your station and return to the classroom.

All at once gas burners were being turned on. People began lighting matches; save for Racetrack who was still having too much fun with the water bottles, especially as Nympho didn't seem to notice the large wet stains down the front of his apron. And after their burner was lit relished in the fact that he could make sparks.

There was a sudden yell that caught the entire classes attention. Everyone spun around to find Mouse halfway between the floor and standing, Hargis only catching her by reflex.

"Mr. Hargis, what did you do?" Ms Cook screeched, "Burners off children." She ran over, as did the rest of the class.

"I didn't do anything. She just jerked backwards and fell." His eyes were wide as he lowered her to the floor.

Mouse blinked several times and attempted to push herself up from the floor. Her lip was split and her eye was starting to puff up. "I swear, I'll kill him," she seethed.

Hargis and Nympho jumped back, as did several other students. Ms. Cook just nodded. Dutchy was the first to put forth any real action.

"C'mon, let's get you to the nurse's office." He helped her up. "Hawk, come with us in case something happens again."

They looked to Ms. Cook for a pass but she just waved for them to go. All that could be heard as they made their way out into the hall was Mouse's ranting. "I'm not kidding Dutchy I'm going to murder Spot."

"Sure you are Mouse, you know when you see him tonight." Dutchy responded.

"Bite me, Dutchy."

They were too far away for any more of their argument to be heard.

"Well, I guess we'll have to figure out who is not safe to do the labs this year, but for now I want the rest of you to partner up again and finish. Mr. Hargis, Ms. Pierce, and Mr. Mordall, please form a group of three and finish the assessment." She resumed her walking around the room and continued criticizing as though nothing had happened.

1

**_'SPOT!'_** She screamed into her empty house when she got home. She knew he could hear her if she just thought it but she needed to yell. _'Spot, you had better goddamn answer me!'_

_'What?'_ His voice snapped back inside her head, irritated.

'Do you want to share with my why I have a fucking split lip, black eye and bruises up and down my left side.'

_'I got in a fight.'_

_'SPOT! You bastard, you fucking promised you'd stop!'_ She stifled a scream of frustration, _'If I fucking look like this how are you?'_

'I've got more bruises than you, a little more than a black eye and a split lip. My side's probably a bit more banged up than yours is. The guy who started the fight with me looks worse though.'

A though suddenly occurred to her, _'Spot, you're not in jail again, are you?'_

'No, hospital. They think the second guy who jumped me cracked a rib or two when he was kicking me in the side.'

_'Don't fucking expect any pity from me.'_

_'I don't.'_

_'Spot!'_

_'What!?'_

_'Are you sitting in a hospital hallway talking to yourself?'_

_'Yes, I am.'_

_'Spot,'_ she giggled.

_'Mouse, my face looks so fucked up right now and my shirt is ripped open, no one in their right mind is going to mess with me.'_

_'Why the hell can I not be mad at you?' _She groaned_, 'Do you know that because of you me and Dutchy, Keys, and I have to write stupid papers and do extra work because we're not allowed in the Chemistry lab anymore. All because you made me fucking fall over while we were lighting gas burners.'_

_'Sorry.'_

_'No you're not.'_

_'Mouse, the guy deserved it.'_

_'What did he fuck the girl that you're screwing too?'_

_'He beat up one of my friends last week. What do you want me to do, just not care that he has a broken arm.'_

_'Is that what you're going to do once you're out in the real world, Spot? If one of your friends loses his job are you going to go **off** his boss!?'_

_'Mouse, drop it okay? I'm sorry. I had to.'_

_'I'm done. I don't want to talk to you anymore, Spot.'_

_'I'll talk to you tomorrow night.'_

_'Yeah,'_ she paused, _'Fuck you.'_

He either wasn't paying attention any longer or chose to ignore her.

She gave a very unlady-like grunt, and stomped upstairs to change out of her work clothes and take a hot shower.

1

_'Hawk.'_

_'Blue.'_

_'School?'_

_'Sucks. I envy you.'_

_'You shouldn't.'_

Hawk immediately pushed his homework into the corner of his desk. He leaned his chair back and put his feet up on the desk_. 'You're not back in Phoenix yet, are you?'_

_'Dad got sent on a quick trip to Colorado. I'm stuck in Cali for an extra week and a half.'_

_'With mother dearest.'_

_'Yeah,'_ Blue sounded exasperated.

'_And she's got a guy over.'_

_'Well yes, but there are a bunch of people from her work downstairs for some stupid function. Half of them are freaking cocked. Me and her had a fight earlier though. Nathaniel got here early to help her set up and we had an argument over what I had to wear. She got me this penguin suit. I swear I'd throw myself off a cliff before I'd wear it. So basically I'm not allowed out of my room for the night and I'm grounded the rest of the time I'm here.'_

_'Except when she's not home.'_ Hawk provided. Blue's mother barely ever stayed at home for a day. He could almost feel Blue's smirk.

_'Yeah.'_

_'Seriously man, why do you still go out there in the summer if you and her don't get along at all.'_

_'Hawk, I'm out on the balcony. Concentrate for a minute and tell me you can't feel the beach.'_

Hawk took a deep breath. He could definitely feel a slight breeze even though his windows were all closed, smell and hear the waves distantly. He remembered vividly seeing it once or twice in a dream after talks with Blue. It made him sure he'd see it tonight.

_'What?'_ Blue's thoughts broke through his.

_'Think good thoughts tonight, alright, Blue. I want to dream about the beach.' _

_'Well then you better be happy too, 'cause that damn bird of yours freaking attacks me when you're pissed.'_ He laughed. It was a rolling, musical laugh that captivated everyone, including Hawk.

_'I hope your dad gets back early so you can go home.' Hawk put in._

_'Me too.'_ Blue agreed. _'I should let you get back to your homework then.'_ He yawned.

_'Ass.' _

'By the way, number five is positive not negative. Stop thinking so hard about it, you're giving me a headache.'

1

A/N: Yeah, the last time I posted was definitely way back in January when I was still a junior. Wow, how quickly eight months pass. I really like this story so hopefully the next chapter will be up a little quicker. However, if you want them up even sooner than soon you could press that little button at the bottom of the page that says 'review' or 'go' or whatever.

By the way, I am convinced this is a crap/filler chapter to just get some stuff straightened out. Important stuff starts happening once the ball gets rolling. A few more chapters and the _real_ good stuff starts happening.

_Shout outs!_

**Frog:** You're cool. I seriously have to print and color code the casting calls to keep characters straight.

**B: **Quicker… ah, heh-heh… Sorry. I am also hoping it gets less confusing from here. I swear if the web of characters in this one doesn't kill me Last Chance (50 characters) will.

**Flem: **Hah, look I have recreated O'Connor into a character, and Cook too. Now all I have to do is perfect O'Connor's stutter and it will be perfect. :-D

**Shade:** You rock. We need to talk more, or you need to update something, or… something like that.

**Rumor:** You're reviews are always the cause of much entertainment. You should see some of the pairs for soul twins. It will entertain me beyond reason to try and work them out.

Next Time

I couldn't tell you.

Hotshot

9/18/04


	4. Quiet Little Town

Cavanaugh Park

Chapter 3

Hotshot

_Let's get drunk  
You can drive us to the harbor  
Wish upon a star but  
Do you know what stars are?  
Balls of fire, burning up the black space  
Falling from the landscape  
Exploding in the face of God_

_ Down – Something Corporate_

1

_'Once we rid ourselves of the abomination that these people cause everything will go back to normal. It's like all conflicts before, issues of race and homosexuality. These 'gifted' children, teenagers, adults, would do better, would better provide service to society if we lock them up. In some states they teach these children to embrace this mutation, to think they are something special. I will not have it here. I will not have my children brought up in a place where these people are going to be prevalent in society, where they will be infecting our youth with their ideas.'_

_'Ego, stop it. Please.'_

_'I will see to it that once I am elected to congress the law that we have worked so hard to pass in this state, banning the teaching of these 'gifted' students, will be spread to others. I want my family; my wife, my son, and my daughter to live in a world that is safe, not one where they need to worry about these mutants.'_

_'Ego!'_

The boy seemed to only concentrate harder on his father's speech. It was as if Dutchy was looking out of his eyes then. He was onstage with his father looking out into the crowd; a sea off old, white men, balding or gray, and conservative as the Mormon, except lacking the personality or humor.

_'My name is-' _Ego was talking now…_ 'I support my father's message. I guess some people consider this 'gift' as they've been calling it to be a blessing of some sort. I couldn't see why they would call it that. You've got someone else inside your head twenty-four hours a day. Sure maybe they can help you cheat on tests by looking up answers for you and telling you while you do it but that's about it. Other than that they're just a nuisance and a distraction, a disgrace to society if you ask me.' _

Dutchy couldn't stand this. He and Ego both knew what he was saying was a lie. They actually stayed out of each other's minds for most of the time. At night, however, both boys' minds tended to wander.

The entire room was joining in a chant now; one that degraded Dutchy and his friends. He'd heard it hundreds of times before, and it never hurt any less. Still he couldn't bring himself to hate Ego.

It was enough to wake him up. He was shaking badly and tears were rolling down his cheeks. He tried to get out of bed but only succeeded in falling to the carpet. He gripped his temples with his palms. _'Please, Ego, please, please stop.'_

Everything faded away, but Dutchy still remained sitting on the floor shaking like a leaf. Pain like that did not fade so quickly.

1

­­­­­­­­­

School was passing slowly, _again_. Pete Hargis had advanced on De that morning in the halls, intent on causing enough damage that his friends would notice but the teachers would not. One of the very few reasons being short and lanky had its advantages. He'd easily weaved his way through, and disappeared into the sea of students. Stupid, fucking, mick he'd thought to himself as he sat in algebra now, twirling a pen around his fingers and droning out the teacher. If he concentrated hard enough she really _did_ make the 'whawhawha' sound, like in Charlie Brown comics.

Dutchy was sitting next to him. The poor boy looked exhausted. His hair wasn't combed and his eyes were bloodshot, and as was typical of Dutchy he was grinding his teeth loudly.

De smacked Dutchy's arm lightly and gave him a look. Dutchy stopped and De went back to staring at his desk pondering if his notebook would make a comfortable pillow or not. Something in the back of his mind was whispering to him. He paid attention to that as Dutchy began grinding his teeth again.

1

_'Well Mr. Trayer, what do you have to say for yourself?'_

_'Nothing, sir.'_

_'Mr. Trayer, these types of things are not appropriate for oral presentations to an entire class, let alone your speech for the upcoming student elections.'_

_'Hehee, he said oral'_ it was a thought, not actually spoken and Trick laughed.

_'Do you find this funny?'_

_'Yes sir, in fact, I believe it is the perfect way to up student involvement. If we can promise them porn stars at Prom I'm sure they will be more than happy to help with the fundraising. If you hadn't yanked me off stage when you did I could have told the girls about the male strippers I planned to hire, but I guess you're sexist enough to leave them uninvolved. They do just belong at home in the kitchen and in the bedroom, right?'_

'I don't want to see you at this school at all next week Mr. Trayer. But I would like to see you every Saturday for the next two months. Go to my office and wait. And tell the secretary to call your mother in. I'm certain she knows the drill by now.'

Trick walked away with a wide grin on his face.

_'That probably wasn't the smartest thing to say to your principal, Trick, but I must admit, you've got balls.'_

_'You liked that huh?'_ Trick only then realized his 'other half' had been listening in. _'and really De, if you keep using all that sexual innuendo in your comments I'm going to start using it on you. Really I know you love my balls and all but-'_

_'Don't go any farther with that sentence Trick.'_

'Oh, but you want me to… One-week suspension, two months Saturday detentions. Call my mom; I'll be in the principal's office… As I was saying, life is good.'

_'Yeah, you'll think that when you're bored out of you mind next week when everyone else is at school.'_

_'Nope, Angela isn't leaving for college until the week after next.'_

_'Oh lovely.'_

_'And even if I do get bored with her I can always play visitor to your little mind.'_

_'No way, Trick. Last time you did that I told my aunt Satan was my homeboy. See that caused a bit of a problem because she's fucking religious.'_

Trick laughed, _'I got a kick out of it.'_

'I'm glad one of us did.'

The principal's door was opening and the two bid hasty goodbyes.

"Mr. Pelligrino, what is X equal to in question six?"

De groped for a number, "Two."

"Very good De. But please, pay attention."

1

Sunny pulled up a chair to the overcrowded table near the windows. "I hate math," she grumbled to Racetrack and Swinger, "What's up?"

"Oh, there's going to be a party tonight!" Racetrack shared.

"O_kay_," she agreed turning to fully face Swinger, "In normal English he means what?"

"We're all meeting up at Mouse's work today, that café place. Anyway, we're hanging out there until they close and then going over to the park for an hour or so. And knowing dear little Racie here, someone's going to get a bit smashed."

"Just peachy."

"Yeah," Mouse agreed, "He's a fruit, that one."

"Oh, ladies," Swifty came sliding in to the table, forcing a chair between Sunny and Swinger. "Are we plotting some trouble for the weekend yet?"

"We've been plotting since we heard the words back-to-school." Pie muttered walking past, hitting his friend upside the head.

"We've been plotting since summer started," Mouse countered.

"I've been plotting since freshman year," Race finished. "I swear, there is no more way I'm going to make it through two more years in this place." He shoved an oversized economics book across the table as if to emphasis his point.

"And yet you'll be up there giving a speech in two years because you're such a freaking smartass." Key's placed a tray on the table. "Honestly, you complain and gripe all day but _you're _the one taking senior AP courses your junior year."

"Shut up."

Swifty ignored the argument that was sure to arise between the two. "So what time do we need to get there?"

"Eight-thirty," Mouse shrugged, "It's just some local band performing tonight. Nothing big."

"Cool." He glanced at his watch. "Well, I need to be getting back to Chemistry."

"You're not in this lunch?" Sunny asked.

Swifty shrugged. "She'll barely notice I'm gone."

"Have fun in detention, Swifty." Swinger called after him as he left.

He barely waved over his shoulder to acknowledge her.

1

The Shattered Mirror was one of the few places in town where teenagers often hung out, but in a small town there were not even many options. During the day it was the place the starving artist types of adults stopped to get coffees, teas, and other assortments of drinks and snacks. At night, especially on weekends it was a social hangout.

Mouse had been steadily employed there since the day she turned fourteen. There was reason for that, her mother knew the owner. Other than that she had basically overruled his decisions and started advertising for live bands. _That_ brought in even more business. Steady raises were not a bad thing either.

The lack of uniform was good too. There was another café on the street with its employees identical in their maroon shirts and black pants. Mouse was perfectly happy in a pair of faded blue jeans and an old fitted concert t-shirt.

Swinger led the herd of gifted students in through the back door that evening. The place wasn't quite to the level of crowded yet, but Stream, a local band made up of five high schoolers, was setting up. A full night was guaranteed. And Mouse was in the midst of them setting up an amp.

Orders were taken and Blake was the one to go up to the counter. Unfortunately since Mouse was helping the band, and most workers did not come in for another half hour there was only one person left behind the counter. A pale figure clothed completely in black stood near the cash register. Heavy eye makeup made her eyes look rather sunken, and her lips were too red to be their normal shade.

"What?" she snapped after he's been standing there for several seconds.

Blake rambled off the order, and when she did not move to make them he laid the list on the counter. He wasn't trying to be rude but school had not been great that day. "Do you mind, Alyse?"

"Yeah, I do."

Blake sighed; Alyse Valetin made everyone's lives difficult, especially people like his friends.

"Well, you're the one who took a job here. Part of that job includes taking orders from people and filling them."

"What, you think you're a badass all of a sudden?" Alyse questioned him. He'd had several classes with her the past year, before she had been expelled. None had been a pleasant experience. "If you've got some huge problem we can deal with this outside."

That was how it was. Anything and everything made her resort to violence. Blake ground his teeth and shoved the list into her hands. "Just fucking do it." Without waiting for a reply he walked back over to his friends.

He collapsed onto one of the mismatched couch cushions between Swinger and Dutchy. He liked using the nicknames. Swinger and Dutchy sounded much more casual than Lute and Alec. No one called him Cold though, Blake fit him better. He took a quick glance at Dutchy. They'd had two art classes together that day and Dutchy had seemed miserable during both of them. Which, in turn, had thrown off Blake's artistic groove. In all it had been a very unproductive day.

"What's up, Dutchy?" he asked.

Dutchy shrugged, "It's nothing."

"Dutchy- Darling," Blake revised, in the mood to cheer himself up, as he flung an arm dramatically around Dutchy's shoulder, "You were so down in art that it threw off _my_ creative curve, thus making today a very _unproductive _day. So if you're going to ruin my chances of getting into a good art school you need to at least share with me the troubles of your youth or explain to my parents why I failed to get into art school." He made sure his voice was loud enough to catch the attention of the entire group.

They all laughed, and even Dutchy cracked a wide grin.

Dutchy shrugged, "I just had a really bad dream last night, is all."

Blake's laughing eyes dropped. They did not have **dreams**, they had _visions. _"Ego?"

Dutchy caught his eye. "Just another one of those anti-us things to get his dad elected governor, or mayor, or whatever."

"You gotta find a way to block that out, man." Blake patted Dutchy on the back as a reluctant Alyse followed Mouse over to them with trays full of drinks.

"This is going to be so awesome," Mouse chirped, landing a seat on the arm of a couch. "They were warming up an hour or so ago, and it was so great then, and they weren't even trying. Jon has a fucking hot voice." She waved to the singer as he tuned his guitar and he flashed a wide grin back.

"I thought you said you were done with musicians," Swinger snapped.

Mouse sighed, "I could never be done with guys like that. Really, you can't let good guys like him go to waste."

An argument ensued but ended as one of the band members started banging out a beat on his drum. Blake closed his eyes and leaned his head back over the couch, focusing. Interesting, Snoddy was out on his skateboard.

**_'Fall!'_ **Blake yelled.

That was exactly what Snoddy did, sending Blake into mental giggles.

'_Man, that was so not funny' _Snoddy snapped, _'I coulda broken something.'_

_'Snoddy, you're on your driveway.'_

_'Hey, my cousin broke his arm skating on his driveway-'_

_'Yeah, going off a ramp! Your driveway isn't even a hill.'_

Snoddy was sitting in the grass now, _'So that thing you were working on in art today was interesting.'_

_'Where were you that you had time to watch me?'_

_'Calculus, I only missed like half the notes. Seriously, where'd you come up with the idea?' _

He was referring to the abstract piece Blake had been working on with a mixture of paints and charcoals. He'd skipped English, one of his few required courses to work on it.

_'It was in a dream, well, you know what I mean. Is there graffiti somewhere in your town where you go a lot?'_

_'Yeah, the school, the skate-park, work, you name it.'_

_'That might be it. You were staring at it, ignoring me, all last week.'_

_'So what's up with you?' _He was trying to change the subject, and Blake let him.

_'You know anyone whose soul twin hates them.'_

_'I know people who hate gifted, but no, all my friends like theirs and vice versa. Why?'_

_'My friend Dutchy, we call his 'Ego' and I dunno, he's some politician's son and his dad's all against us being able to go to school with 'normal' kids. I mean, sometimes he actually talks to Dutchy, but a lot of the time he's horrible and makes Dutchy see these awful speeches his dad makes. Then all the next day Dutchy's a nervous wreck.'_

_'I don't know what to tell you. I don't know anyone with parents that hate us that much either. I mean, my dad hates that I'm gifted and treats me like shit sometimes, but doesn't try to change me or convince me I'm Satan or something. Can I talk to you more later? I've gotta go catch up with a few of the fellas.'_

_'Have fun.'_

Blake came out of his gaze to find the band's set nearly done.

1

It was well past ten when they finally left the coffee shop. The band and crowds were long gone and the shop cleaned and locked for the night. The half dozen of them who had managed to secure licenses and cars over the summer drove the horde to the small park near the center of town. Pie, Itey, and De pulled a soccer ball out of pie Eater's "soccer mom-mobile" and began in an impromptu game of keep away.

Race was the last one to arrive, and he did so with a single bottle of some heavily watered down alcoholic drink in hand.

"Stephen wouldn't buy you anything, huh?" Swinger observed.

"Bite me." He managed in reply.

"Where?" Mouse responded with a grin.

"Why is it they always gang up on me?" Race asked, taking a seat on a picnic table.

"Because you make it easy for them." Hawk stole the drink and downed half of it before returning the bottle, "Not to say you don't deserve it though. I mean, sure, you have good grades, but you can't even get your own brother to buy you a six pack. Very sad."

"Someone should crack those two's heads together," Candy commented to Heels. "They're both idiots."

"Maybe one day they'll realize they're gay and finally see that they're perfect for one another," Heels agreed.

"Hehe," Race mocked.

In the moments that followed all that could be heard was Itey and De arguing over the soccer ball across the field.

"Well, this is quite the exciting Friday night isn't it," Hotshot murmured. "Wasn't something exciting supposed to happen at the park tonight? Ugh, why is this town so fucking boring?"

"At least it isn't snowing yet."

Everyone looked at Sunny like she had ten heads.

"Murphy's law. If it snows in the next week I'm going to murder you." Blake glared at her. He hated the cold.

Random chatter lasted for a good hour, along with a forced soccer game and a lot of yelling. It wasn't long until they were all tired from the week and climbing back into their cars to go home.

"Football game next Friday," Hotshot reminded Race and Swinger as they all piled into one car.

Swinger smiled, "Halftime."

"Ugh," Race grunted, "Practice."

The girls rolled their eyes.

1

A/N: I know, I know, the ending sucks. But I had most of the chapter written and I really wanted to get it posted. Plus, that really kind of sounds like some of my Friday nights. Anyway, I heart Blake, and Trick, and De in this chapter. I honestly do not know what came over me when I wrote the De and Trick interaction. But I have gotten good responses from those who have seen it. I need to write a Last Chance chapter before I update this again because I owe Shade and Sinhe. I also got kind of inspired as to where I want to go with both of these while I was on vacation a few weeks ago. Hope you enjoy the chapter. Sorry for the long time between updates. Senior year sucks. There is actually a very good chance this will not be updated until after my graduation, but for any 'Last Chance' readers, I have completely worked out that storyline, and am working on this one in my one easy class.

Leave me something you like or hate about the chapter.

Hotshot

4/8/05


End file.
